Changing Coverage

Federal laws set specific rules about the types of benefit coverage changes that you can make during the Plan Year (January 1 through December 31). Once you make your benefit elections — either when you first become eligible for health and welfare benefits or during the annual open enrollment period — your choices remain in effect until the end of the effective Plan Year.

The exception is when you and/or your dependent(s) experience a Life Event (also known as a qualified status change), such as moving to a new address, getting married or divorced, having or adopting a child, a child losing eligibility for Nokia coverage, a family member losing coverage under another employer’s plan or your or a family member’s death.

In this case, you may be eligible to change your health and welfare benefit coverage during the Plan Year, before the next annual open enrollment period. If you’re eligible to make coverage changes, the changes you make must be consistent with your change in status.